How To Make $200 In a Day From Scratch

We’ve all had a time when we must figure out how to make 200 dollars in one day.

And it’s days like this that often determine our financial future.

Take the easy road, say by applying for a loan, and you make matters worse long-term.

On the other hand, some work combined with creativity, can change your financial future.

Because when you start to add up little wins, you build momentum. And when you build momentum, you expand your circle of control.

Ready?

Here are 16 different ways to make $200 in a day.

# 1 – Sell Something on Craigslist

Difficulty: Easy

Time it takes for money to be deposited:Less than 24 hours

Summary: Have something collecting dust around the house? Do you need money today? Then this is a viable option for you because of how quickly you can get some cash for your unwanted items.

If you need 200 dollars ASAP, look around your house or apartment for a big-ticket item you can live without. It’ll be easier and faster than trying to unload a lot of small items. Maybe you have an old elliptical machine you don’t use anymore or an extra television set that never gets turned on.

When listing it on Craigslist, beware of scams. You also might want to consider loading that item up in your vehicle and meeting the potential buyer in a public place. That’s always a safer bet than inviting a stranger to your home.

# 2 – Sell Something on eBay

Difficulty: Medium

Time it takes for money to be deposited: 1 to 2 weeks

Summary: On the list of how to make $200 in a day, you shouldn’t overlook eBay. With eBay, you won’t have this money by tomorrow, but the longer bidding process this site uses allows enough time for more bids to come in. That can drive up the price of your item, which is good news for you.

Do you like to get free money? This is the closest you can get to that. You can unload that old china set you inherited that doesn’t fit into your lifestyle or personal taste. Or you can find an item at a garage sale and flip it on eBay for a profit.

The possibilities are endless.

The biggest downside to this method is that you shouldn’t use it when you have to come up with $200 immediately because it does take a little time. But if you know you have a big medical bill coming up or you’re planning a weekend getaway and you want extra money, you can plan in advance to use eBay.

# 4 – Freelance Sites

This is a solid option for someone who wants to make a full-time job of it, or just earn extra money in their spare time.

By getting good reviews and steadily increasing your skill set, you have a high earning potential with freelance sites. You’ll get out of this what you put into it. It’s one of the few options on this list where the limit depends on you.

While it’s fine to get into freelancing as a way to make money in the short term, don’t ignore what a great possibility it is for long-term income too. This doesn’t have to be a one-and-done moneymaker for you.

It’s best for someone who has current in-demand skills such as writing, editing, and SEO knowledge. If you want to give freelancing a whirl, some good sites to start with include Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.

# 6 – Have A Garage or Yard Sale

Summary: This is a simple way to raise money when you’re in a pinch. It’s also a great way to reduce the clutter in your house and free up storage space.

If you’re looking for how to make $200 in a day, a good garage sale can do it.

You should expect to tie up a whole weekend to do it though. You’ll want to have your sale on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Long weekends such as Labor Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend are popular choices.

# 7 – Credit Card Sign Up Bonus

Difficulty: Easy

Time it takes for money to be deposited: One month

Summary: Credit card sign up bonuses are a great moneymaker. You have a lot of options out there too. The Chase Freedom card, for instance, will give you a $150 bonus if you meet their spending requirement. Plus, it doesn’t have an annual fee so it won’t cost you anything to carry it.

# 8 – Save $200 In A Day

Difficulty: Easy

Time it takes for money to be deposited: One month

Summary: Sometimes it’s much easier and better in the long run to find ways to save money than to find ways to earn more. It’s easy to end up with $200 more in your bank account if you watch what you’re doing.

# 9 – Online Focus Groups

Summary: When you think of how to make $200 in a day, you don’t typically think of surveys. And you’re right — you’re not going to make that kind of money in 24 hours on sites such as Survey Junkie.

But if you start doing surveys, you can eventually qualify for bigger surveys that can pay $50 or more. And you can always combine strategies to help you reach your $200. Take some surveys on your phone while you’re waiting for customers at your garage sale!

# 13 – Walk Dogs

It can take some time to get started. You’ll need to find a client and do a great job so you can have a referral. That way you can land more clients. But once you get that momentum, it can pay quite well if you turn it into a business.

It’s going to be much harder to make a go of this if you live in a rural area or small city. But, even there, you may find some elderly clients who aren’t physically capable of exercising their dogs.

In a bigger city, especially an affluent, fast-paced one, you should be able to find more clients.

# 14 – Ask For A Double Shift

Difficulty: Easy

Time it takes for money to be deposited: 1-2 weeks

Summary: Maybe you’d rather tap your current employer for more hours than spend your time trying to make money in a new way. That can be a great idea. You won’t have to learn anything new. Earning that $200 could be as simple as asking your boss for an extra shift or two this week.

Depending upon where you work, that extra shift might be in a different department. That can give you even greater job security. The more you know and the more you can do, the more valuable you are to your employer.

# 15 – Drive for Lyft

Difficulty: Easy

Time it takes for money to be deposited: 1-2 weeks

Summary: You’ll have to meet some basic qualifications to be a Lyft driver, but there’s good money in it. You’ll have to be 21 or older, with a valid driver’s license. You must have had your license for a year or more. And you must have an up-to-date insurance policy.

Reasons you might want to consider being a Lyft driver include:

It pays decent money, and you can get tips too.

The demand is high, especially in bigger cities.

You get to choose the hours you want to work.

# 16 – Get Paid To Proofread

● Difficulty: Medium

● Time it takes for money to be deposited: 2-3 weeks

Summary: Do you have an eye for catching other people’s errors? Do you consider yourself an officer of the Grammar Police? Then proofreading could be your dream gig. And it’s easy to make a quick $200 with proofreading.

There is a high demand for proofreaders because of the increased volume for online content. You can proofread from anywhere. And if you’re not exactly what you’d call a people person, this is a great option for you.

About The Author

R.J. Weiss is the founder and editor of The Ways To Wealth, a Certified Financial Planner™, husband and father of three. He's spent the last 10+ years writing about personal finance and has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, MSN Money, and other publications.

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